Young Christian Leaders-Command and Control Management, does it work in Churches?

Command and Control management is all about establishing and maintaining power and control over people. On the surface it’s a great management tool and principle. But that is all. What we have to remember is it is a secular management process, the question we have to ask ourselves is does it work for congregations? Churches and the needs of congregations are a lot more complex than what they were 20 or even 50 years ago.

Most Christian Leaders will tell me that their leadership style is one of developing, empowering and inspiring people into leadership. "Do as I do follow me just like Jesus asked us to follow him!"However while this is true in part I often find that the unspoken tag line is one "I do all this as long as people do as they are told and adhere to our churches cultural expectations".

Let me give you an example; a member of a worship team who was and is very faithful and conscientious was late for a worship team practice before a Sunday night meeting. It had never happened before. The worship leader ignored the past faithfulness and abilities of the young man, he demanded to know what the young man was playing at and said that he would not be part of the team that night. 

Here we have Command and Control at work. The command part was ‘you have let the side down by not being here on time’. The control part was ‘because of your tardiness you can’t be part of the team tonight’. Was the worship leader right in his actions? For me the short answer is No.

Jesus never used a command and control or power and status type leadership style. While he asked people to follow him he did so through having and doing the following;

·         He was servant hearted and he always ensured that his focus was on others never on himself.

·         He always tried to understand the perspective of others, unlike the worship leader above. The worship leader was focused on the event and putting forward perfection rather than being people focused.  He wasn’t interested in reasons why the young man was late. He wasn’t interested in putting himself in the shoes of the young man.

·         Jesus was all about looking at character, all be it imperfect humanity.

·         One other thing that needs to be done that is completely contrary to a command and control principles and one thing that Christian Leaders are reluctant to do, is to allow their processes to be challenged after all there could always be a better way of doing things.

For young leaders there is a need to understand that perhaps the greatest thing that is forgotten in Command and control leadership systems is Grace. Always remember never to forget about Grace that way the above story will not occur again.